Mayor,
i understand exactly where your comming from with this.
i got another great viprati pipe and i love it.
but that being said....without the discount given to me that night i would not have layed out the cash.
i think the main reason is that once you get a good sized collection of the shapes you enjoy you are less tempted to spend the big bucks on a new pipe.
i too would rather buy an estate pipe crafted from the older woods of yesteryear than the newer ones that are not as aged.
some of the shapes i own now, when considering the grain and shape, by todays standards would be 500 dollar pipes!!
it really takes a special peice these days to speak to me loud enough to spend the big dollars for.
